Which Carolina Panthers players could benefit the most from Cam Newton becoming the starting quarterback in Week 11?
If last weekend’s memorable win at the Arizona Cardinals was a return to remember for Cam Newton, what comes next at Bank of America Stadium next Sunday could be even better. The quarterback is expected to start barring any setbacks against the Washington Football Team, with head coach Matt Rhule stating the 2015 NFL MVP will get the majority of first-team reps in practice ahead of the contest.
This will be highly beneficial as Newton looks to familiarize himself with an outstanding group of weapons in the passing game and offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s scheme. The Carolina Panthers are now right back in the NFC South title picture seemingly from nowhere and they’ll be counting on the No. 1 overall selection in 2011 to inspire them moving forward.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the move for Sam Darnold hasn’t worked out. Morale was at an all-time low following a pathetic Week 9 loss to the New England Patriots, which caused the Panthers to bring Newton back.
The results were instant. Not only from a performance standpoint, but Newton also brought a sense of excitement and optimism that’s been sorely lacking since his departure.
Carolina already has an elite defense and a kicker in Zane Gonzalez who seemingly cannot miss. If Newton can even emerge as a serviceable option under center, then a playoff spot might not be far behind.
With this in mind, here are five Panthers players who could benefit most from Newton starting for the remainder of the season.